Back of the Mike
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- Publication date
- 1938
- Usage
- Public Domain
- Topics
- Media: Radio, Perception: Sound
- Digitizing sponsor
- Chevrolet Division, General Motors Corporation
Shotlist
HOW SOUND EFFECTS ARE PRODUCED IN THE MODERN RADIO STUDIO. BOY LISTENS TO WESTERN DRAMA ON RADIO; THIS IS INTERCUT WITH ACTORS & TECHNICIANS PRODUCING SOUND EFFECTS. CONTAINS WESTERN CHASE SCENES. DAY IS SAVED BY SHERIFF'S DAUGHTER IN CHEVROLET.
Ken Smith sez: A boy lies on his bed (wearing a white shirt and a necktie), listening to a radio western. We see the images the radio creates in his mind, then we cut to the studio, where we see that this whole fantasy world is created at a frantic pace by announcers in three-piece suits and sound-effects technicians operating incredibly complicated jury-rigged devices. Since this is a Jam Handy picture, the good guys catch the bad guys in the end because the good guys are in a Chevrolet and the bad guys are only on horses.
COMMUNICATIONS PERCEPTION ACTORS RADIOS BOYS HOMES HOUSES CHILDREN CHEVROLET ADVERTISING SHERIFFS NARRATIVES COWBOYS CRIMINALS FATHERS DAUGHTERS WOMEN MEN APPARATUS HUMOR WIPES Radio broadcasting Radio studios Microphones Sound effects Surrealism Actors Entertainment Westerns (genres) Automobiles (Chevrolet) Fires Chases Horses Language Accents (regional) Sounds Mountains Stunts Robberies Crime Bandits Desperadoes Radio drama Drama (radio) Plays (radio) Safety
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- Addeddate
- 2002-07-16 00:00:00
- Closed captioning
- no
- Collectionid
- 07864
- Color
- B&W
- Country
- United States
- Identifier
- Backofth1938
- Numeric_id
- 157
- Proddate
- 1938
- Run time
- 9:15
- Sound
- Sd
- Type
- MovingImage
comment
Reviews
Subject: Who Are These People?
At the time of filming, this same crew was regularly assigned to produce, LIVE episodes of a nationally broadcast western-adventure series you've all heard of:
THE LONE RANGER!!!
Their phenomenal success led to their producing two more network series that also lasted into the early 1950s, THE GREEN HORNET and SERGEANT PRESTON OF THE YUKON.
The movie and television versions of these series, however, were produced by other folk, far away from Detroit... in Hollywood.
Subject: An Early Look at a Hollywood Star
You can see the young actor first at c.5:54 into the film, looking tall and slim.
He appears to have one real line, when the camera is showing us a piece of wood being cut into:
"These are pretty green for burning, Sam."
Wikipedia states that Mr. Hodiak once worked for the Chevrolet company; it also reports that he had his acting beginnings in radio. Here in this short subject we have a meeting of these two roles, with perhaps his first appearance on film.
Subject: Back of the Mike
Subject: Blast from the Past
Subject: Back of the Mike
Subject: Brilliant!
Subject: Crackin' Good
Subject: Next`best thing Chevrolet ever sponsored
Subject: "Back of the Mike" is nicely done
Subject: Great
Great!
Would Like To know who Submitted it?
troy@thayne.com
http://www.myoldtimeradio.com
Subject: Who needs TV?
Never leave witnesses to a crime.
Only children are gullible enough to enjoy radio dramas.
Children wear neckties in their bedrooms.
The cheapest of afternoon serials could afford a team of 7 professional sound men.
Blondes are an illusion.
The great thing about the film is that it shows radio as a visual medium, sort of a personal TV before the dull literalness of actual TV. Inescapably, though, it succumbs to that literalness; after all, no image on film of "Uncle Joe and his niece Betty driving in his old jalopy through the barren New Mexico desert" could be as pristine as the image called up by radio. (FOOTSTEPS OFF) (DISTANT:) G'night, folks!
Subject: Classic Radio Sound Effects demo!
Subject: Back of the Mike
Ratings: Camp/Humor Value: ****. Weirdness: ****. Historical Interest: *****. Overall Rating: ****.
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